Non. Stop. Peeping.

[DancesWithRoosters]

We have a new chick, and no matter what, he cries!! To the point the rest of his flock has started to avoid him.
He has ample food, entertainment, friends, a hatch mate, everything. He eats, drinks and sleeps normally. He isn't sick and has no signs of any stress/discomfort/respiratory issues...Nothing! What! So! Ever!
We got him Thursday, as of writing it is Saturday.

Ive NEVER had a chick like this before! And I've raised 20 or 40+ chickens!
He only seems to calm down when betting petted, when one of us is in the room with him or we're holding him in our hands/pocket ETC. What can we do to lessen his stress?? We can't carry this little guy around all the time!!
To make matters worse, one of the chicks from the same batch has runny eyes, but no lethargy, sickness or swelling.
I've seen Mr. Pampered Chick peck at peers before and I can't figure out what his deal is...Now everyone is pecking at Wet EyesMcgee!! The Pampered Chick dosent peck at WetEyesMcgee and Pampered is trying to shove under WetEyes screaming at her! What in the world!?!

 

[DobieLover]

no signs of any stress/discomfort/respiratory issues

The chirping is a sign.

holding him in our hands/pocket

The chick is likely cold. That is why he quiets down when he is up against your warmth.

Now everyone is pecking at Wet EyesMcgee

You need a larger brooder with distractions and treat that chick before they literally peck out it's eyes. It can happen.

Can you post pictures of your brooder and of the chick with eye discharge? What are you using for bedding and a heat source? I would take the chick with eye discharge out and gently clean the discharge off her face and put terramycin ointment in each eye. Repeat this 3x daily.

What size is your brooder and how many chicks are in it? Does it have copious amounts of ventilation? One of the best distractions for chicks is to put a clump of sod in the brooder with them so they can scratch it to smithereens. Also put chicks perches in there and orient the brooder is such a way that afternoon or morning sun can shine into part of the brooder so they can sun bathe.

 

[DancesWithRoosters]

The chirping is a sign.

The chick is likely cold. That is why he quiets down when he is up against your warmth.

You need a larger brooder with distractions and treat that chick before they literally peck out it's eyes. It can happen.

Can you post pictures of your brooder and of the chick with eye discharge? What are you using for bedding and a heat source? I would take the chick with eye discharge out and gently clean the discharge off her face and put terramycin ointment in each eye. Repeat this 3x daily.

What size is your brooder and how many chicks are in it? Does it have copious amounts of ventilation? One of the best distractions for chicks is to put a clump of sod in the brooder with them so they can scratch it to smithereens. Also put chicks perches in there and orient the brooder is such a way that afternoon or morning sun can shine into part of the brooder so they can sun bathe.

Hello! I have used a hearing scope that drs use to check his lungs etc, he has no congestion or issues there!

He has a full, warm red heat lamp.
He is not cold. Even under the heat lamp, he screams. (Unless were just..standing in the room)

We seperated WeteyesMcGee into his own private area so we can monitor him.
My chick-rearing-brooder is a very large see-through storage container that is measured as " 160 QT."
(ill measure it myself later , but its half my height, and wider than me! im 5'7 male about 112 lbs.)
It was very comfy for my boa when he was still in there about seven months ago. We cleaned that thing like crazy and started up our chick brood.
(Which, notedly, im three broods deep into using this tub and ..everyones done great! Except...these guys...)

I've raised over /20/ broods haha. and uber suicidal quail, I know if a chick is sick or in need of help. I am in no way a beginner, thank you!
Im just so puzzled..

They dont have any pine shaving bedding, they have mixed pellet bedding, non dusty, ("hypo'allergenic and non coniferous/pine,etc, ) with fresh hay bedding that we put together with them. They have toys, lights that dance on the wall, and we play music for them sometimes(spoild chicks!!)

Our tinytiny silkies are fine, not cold, happy troopers who play and sing..Yet...Mr ChirpsALot still has much attitude.

Its an open top, they have house ventilation as theyre..well...In my house lol.
Ive never heard of chicks breathing TOO well! And for now, its too cold for any outside chick rearing. We picked these chicks up from the farmers co-op thursday like I said and ever since they got home, everyone else has been fine (EXCEPT! these two xD)

There are seven chicks in the brooder (two are being moved to the greenhouse today due to size for their teenage years before i put them outside.)

Mr Wet Eyes discharge was just clear water, like he was crying. A little investigation found he Had been pecked quite a bit, se we doubt sickness. Seperated him anyways with screamer into their own quarantine for now

Its worth noting i raise my chickens for animal meat and products and enjoy their lovely lifes while theyre with us, and deliver our most Kosher of deaths. So if this chick has a /brain issue/ or otherwise, id like to give him the best chance at life or know if mercy is what he needs.

As for wet eyes, i think shes just being taken to the bottom of the pecking order tbh. I hear its not uncommon for chicken racism (bright colored chicks pecking darker ones, and vice versa.)


edit: they go catch says for sunbathing btw!! we turn the heat lamp off during the hothothottest parts of the day (they also need to be tempature hardened for going outside in a month or two)

 

[DancesWithRoosters]

Upd

Hello! I have used a hearing scope that drs use to check his lungs etc, he has no congestion or issues there!

He has a full, warm red heat lamp.
He is not cold. Even under the heat lamp, he screams. (Unless were just..standing in the room)

We seperated WeteyesMcGee into his own private area so we can monitor him.
My chick-rearing-brooder is a very large see-through storage container that is measured as " 160 QT."
(ill measure it myself later , but its half my height, and wider than me! im 5'7 male about 112 lbs.)
It was very comfy for my boa when he was still in there about seven months ago. We cleaned that thing like crazy and started up our chick brood.
(Which, notedly, im three broods deep into using this tub and ..everyones done great! Except...these guys...)

I've raised over /20/ broods haha. and uber suicidal quail, I know if a chick is sick or in need of help. I am in no way a beginner, thank you!
Im just so puzzled..

They dont have any pine shaving bedding, they have mixed pellet bedding, non dusty, ("hypo'allergenic and non coniferous/pine,etc, ) with fresh hay bedding that we put together with them. They have toys, lights that dance on the wall, and we play music for them sometimes(spoild chicks!!)

Our tinytiny silkies are fine, not cold, happy troopers who play and sing..Yet...Mr ChirpsALot still has much attitude.

Its an open top, they have house ventilation as theyre..well...In my house lol.
Ive never heard of chicks breathing TOO well! And for now, its too cold for any outside chick rearing. We picked these chicks up from the farmers co-op thursday like I said and ever since they got home, everyone else has been fine (EXCEPT! these two xD)

There are seven chicks in the brooder (two are being moved to the greenhouse today due to size for their teenage years before i put them outside.)

Mr Wet Eyes discharge was just clear water, like he was crying. A little investigation found he Had been pecked quite a bit, se we doubt sickness. Seperated him anyways with screamer into their own quarantine for now

Its worth noting i raise my chickens for animal meat and products and enjoy their lovely lifes while theyre with us, and deliver our most Kosher of deaths. So if this chick has a /brain issue/ or otherwise, id like to give him the best chance at life or know if mercy is what he needs.

As for wet eyes, i think shes just being taken to the bottom of the pecking order tbh. I hear its not uncommon for chicken racism (bright colored chicks pecking darker ones, and vice versa.)


edit: they go catch says for sunbathing btw!! we turn the heat lamp off during the hothothottest parts of the day (they also need to be tempature hardened for going outside in a month or two)

UPDATE !!!!!
We added a stuffed animal. this fixed everything xD

lil guy just wanted a comfort of some kind it seems! He probably has chick emotions about being seperated from mom...etc.

Problem solved!! they even stopped pecking the wet-eyed one and theyre totally healthy now too!

 

[JAMarlow]

UPDATE !!!!!
We added a stuffed animal. this fixed everything xD

Oh, that's good to know! I'm getting my brooder ready right now, and I found a thrift store brand-new teddy bear to go into it. I figure I'll just throw it out when the brooding is done.

 

[DancesWithRoosters]

Oh, that's good to know! I'm getting my brooder ready right now, and I found a thrift store brand-new teddy bear to go into it. I figure I'll just throw it out when the brooding is done.

I highly suggest it, lol! We also moved them to be higher up, which seemed to release more anxiety!
We wrapped fake wings ariund the brooder, too, alongside the teddy. This made them VERY happy!

 

[InvertGang]

I highly suggest it, lol! We also moved them to be higher up, which seemed to release more anxiety!
We wrapped fake wings ariund the brooder, too, alongside the teddy. This made them VERY happy!

Fake wings? Got a photo?

 

[DancesWithRoosters]

Fake wings? Got a photo?

Ive since removed the wings due to age, but we got fake moth/bird wings (kinda like a cape, tbh) and wrapped them around the brooder. this seemed to mimic mama hen sitting on them i think, and made them rather calm.

attached is an example of the "wings"

 

[JAMarlow]

New chick chilling on Teddy